1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a golf club cleaner utilizing an ultrasonic energy apparatus associated with a quantity of cleaning solution in a tank in which the club heads or handles are immersed. The cleaning solution tank includes a basket occupying a portion of the tank to support the club heads in a position elevated from the bottom of the tank to restrict the ultrasonic cleaning function to only the club heads and not the club shaft with a peripheral portion of the basket being spaced from a peripheral portion of the tank to enable golf club handles to be inserted downwardly between the basket and the periphery of the tank into engagement with the bottom surface of the tank in order to subject the entire golf club handle to the ultrasonic cleaning operation. The tank is associated with a supporting cabinet which supports a plurality of clubs when the club heads are being cleaned and when the clubs are inverted for cleaning the handles with the cabinet being provided with apparatus for introducing ultrasonic energy into the cleaning solution, a pump assembly for changing the cleaning solution and a control system for controlling operation of the golf club cleaner.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Golf club cleaners of various types are well known and include rotating or movable brush types and ultrasonic energy types and ultrasonic energy has been used for various other cleaning purposes. The following U.S. Pat. Nos. disclose golf cleaners and other ultrasonic energy devices relevant to this invention.
3,180,626 PA1 3,301,535 PA1 3,583,018 PA1 4,380,839 PA1 4,870,982 PA1 5,141,009 PA1 3,101,089 PA1 3,007,478 PA1 3,648,315 PA1 3,709,732 PA1 4,193,818 PA1 4,316,750 PA1 4,710,233
U.S. Pat. No. 5,141,009 discloses a golf club cleaning apparatus as does U.S. Pat. No. 3,101,089. However, the prior art does not disclose the specific structural arrangement utilized in this invention including the novel structure in association of the cleaning solution tank and basket by which the club heads can be immersed to a limited depth in the cleaning solution while the handles can be immersed for the full length of the handles with the major length portion of the club shafts not being subjected to immersion in the cleaning solution and not subjected to cleaning by use of ultrasonic energy.